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Research conducted at the Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute—NIR in Poland in 2020–2022 assessed the commercial quality of potato tubers depending on the production system (organic, conventional), variety, and weather conditions prevailing in the years of research. The tuber size distribution and the share of tuber defects was assessed. It was found that all tested factors influenced the commercial quality of the yield but to different extents. The production system had the greatest influence on most of the examined features, followed by weather conditions and the least influential factor being the variety. The production system had the greatest impact on such features as: tuber size distribution (all fractions), pest damage, scab infection, tuber deformations, and share of green tubers. Weather conditions had the greatest impact on scab infection, pest damage, deformation, cracks and share of large tubers. The variety factor had the greatest influence on such features as: deformations, cracks, green tubers, black scarf, and share of the smallest (non-commercial) tubers. In the conventional system, a significantly better tuber yield distribution was found. The share of tuber defects varied depending on the production system. In the organic system, a greater share of defects such as scab (68.3 and 41.3) and pest damage was found (6.8 and 0.2), while in the conventional system, a greater share of deformations (9.2 and 4.9), cracks (5.4 and 2.4), and rust spots (0.61 and 0.06) occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tubers destined for starch production in potato industry need to meet certain commercial quality standards. The objective of the work was to conduct a multivariate assessment of yield potential and tuber quality of starchy potato cultivars. An analysis was performed of data describing potato cultivars listed in the National List of Potato Varieties (KRO) in Poland published by the Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute - National Research Institute at Radzików. Very early and early as well as medium late and late starchy potato cultivars were analysed in terms of 13 quantitative characteristic using principal component analysis and cluster analysis. It was demonstrated that, regardless of earliness group, the following traits had the greatest share in the total variation of starchy potato cultivars: tuber yield, starch content, starch yield and bioethanol yield. Cluster analysis allowed the division of very early and early cultivars into 3 groups. The cultivars Szyper, Zuzanna, Kuba and Jubilat, included in the first group, produced superior yields, the highest bioethanol yield and were the most resistant to potato blight. Medium late and late cultivars were divided into two groups. The first group (Pokusa, Gandawa, Rudawa, Hinga, Inwestor, Pasja, Pomorska and Ikar) gave poorer yields and lower bioethanol yields but were more resistant to potato blight in comparison with the second group (Sonda, Kuras, Jasia, Bzura, Skawa and Danuta). The multidimensional methods applied allowed a simultaneous assessment of starchy potato cultivars in terms of many characteristics, and grouping into clusters sharing similar traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of the authors' own research and literature research on the impact of selected environmental and agronomical factors on the yield of potato grown under the organic system and the possibility of increasing the yield. The results are based on research conducted for several years at the Institute of Plant Breeding and Acclimatization in Jadwisin, Poland. The influence of factors such as soil quality and climatic conditions, selection of varieties, seed potato preparation, irrigation of plantations, complementary fertilization, and protection against the late blight was described. The aim of this work was to indicate which of these factors affect the yield increase and to what extent. It was stated that it is possible to increase the yield of potato tubers grown under the organic system through all of the proposed treatments. In our studies, using drip irrigation and complementary fertilization had the greatest effect (25.5% and 19%, respectively). Seed potato presprouting had a smaller influence (4.3%) on the final tuber yield. In the years with high pressure of the pathogen Phytophthora infestans, the selection of cultivars with high resistance was very important. Most of the agronomical treatments not only improved the total yield of tubers, but also increased the share of tubers with a larger diameter. A very high variability of potato yielding depending on weather conditions and a selection of cultivars was emphasized. We can say that a proper agronomical practice carried out on an organic potato plantation can largely eliminate the yielding gap between a conventional and an organic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was the determination the effect of foliar application of growth regulator containing Ti (Tytanit®), on Lolium multiflorum morphometry, photosynthetic activity, chlorophyll content and chemical composition of dry matter. A pot experiment was carried out in a plant breeding room of Siedlce University, Poland, in 2019. The experimental units were as follows: I) control - plants sprayed with distilled water; II) plants sprayed with 0.02% Tytanit concentration; III) plants sprayed with 0.04% Tytanit concentration; IV) plants sprayed with 0.06% Tytanit concentration. The following parameters were determined: the shoots number, the number and the length of leaf blades, the length of roots, the dry weight of roots, the dry weight of plants per pot and the content of chlorophyll a and b in leaf blades. In addition, maximum and actual efficiency of the leaf photosystem, photochemical and nonphotochemical quenching coefficients and the content of total protein, crude fibre, monosaccharides, crude fat, crude ash, Ca, Mg, P, K and the ratio of K/(Ca + Mg), and Ca/P in the dry matter of plants were determined. Used in controlled conditions, the regulator contributed to the growth of most morphological characteristics, improved photosynthetic activity, increased the concentration of chlorophyll a and b, and the content of total protein, monosaccharides, calcium and magnesium, at the same time expanding ionic ratios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several cereal species are grown in Europe, but wheat and maize have the largest acreage, followed by barley, oats and rye. Due to breeding improvements, cereal cultivars produce high grain yields. Improvement of cereals within a species and breeding of new cultivars is one of the main methods to improve yield and grain quality. However, the creation of interspecific hybrids, in which new types with better characteristics are obtained through introgression and genetic selection, is also worthy of attention. The interspecific hybrids of cereals are not very popular, but triticale is the cereal that has gained the most popularity and is of increasing interest to farmers in Europe. It is the result of the hybridisation of wheat and rye. Having many beneficial properties, its cultivation should be popularised. The aim of this paper was to review scientific research concerning possibilities of increasing the acreage under cultivation of this cereal, taking into consideration its agronomic requirements and grain quality, as well as the potential of grain utilisation for food and fodder purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was undertaken to investigate the diversity and population structure of 83 spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars, which corresponded to 120 years of this crop's breeding in Poland. The analysis was based on 11,655 DArTseq-derived SNPs evenly distributed across seven barley chromosomes. Five groups were assigned in the studied cultivars according to the period of their breeding. A decrease in observed heterozygosity within the groups was noted along with the progress in breeding, with a simultaneous increase in the inbreeding coefficient value. As a result of breeding, some of the unique allelic variation present in old cultivars was lost, but crosses with foreign materials also provided new alleles to the barley gene pool. It is important to mention that the above changes affected different chromosomes to varying degrees. The internal variability of the cultivars ranged from 0.011 to 0.236. Internal uniformity was lowest among the oldest cultivars, although some highly homogeneous ones were found among them. This is probably an effect of genetic drift or selection during their multiplications and regenerations in the period from breeding to the time of analysis. The population genetic structure of the studied group of cultivars appears to be quite complex. It was shown that their genetic makeup consists of as many as eleven distinct gene pools. The analysis also showed traces of directed selection on chromosomes 3H and 5H. Detailed data analysis confirmed the presence of duplicates for 11 cultivars. The performed research will allow both improvement of the management of barley genetic resources in the gene bank and the reuse of this rich and forgotten variability in breeding programs and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute, National Research Institute (IHAR), research on plant tissue cultures began in 1970s. Some in vitro methods, such as anther cultures or isolated microspore cultures, have been directly used to produce homozygous lines in plant breeding. These methods are also a prerequisite for genetic manipulation for both scientific and practical purposes. Here, we describe the achievements of the Department of Biotechnology and Cytogenetics over the last few decades in the area of somatic embryogenesis of cereals, genetic modifications, GMO detection and identification, and GMO legislation. This long-term research on plant regeneration systems has led to the development of the first transgenic triticale plants in the world and the first transgenic plants in Poland, which was followed by a multi-generation study of triticale transgene stability. The gene flow of transgenic triticale and transgenic maize investigated in field studies under Polish environmental conditions, as well as the evaluation of triticale pollen flow, provided scientific data for the development of coexistence measures and GMO risk assessment in case of plant authorization for cultivation. Based on the experience gained over the years, a GMO Controlling Laboratory was established to support the official control of GMOs in Poland and the EU. It was later nominated as one of the National Reference Laboratories collaborating with the Joint Research Center (JRC) of the European Commission, providing scientific and technical support in areas related to health and consumer protection. The GMO Controlling Laboratory is accredited by the Polish Center for Accreditation according to the ISO 17025 standard, ensuring high-quality analyses and flexible accreditation scope. It participates in the ongoing debate in Poland and the EU on the legal aspects of new genomic techniques in plant breeding through publications, lectures at scientific conferences, and by providing expertise to relevant bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diverse processes leading to doubled haploid (DH) plant production, such as microspore embryogenesis, gynogenesis, and distant hybridization followed by genome elimination, are based on the unique ability of plant cells to form haploid embryos without fertilization. All of these are possible because of various in vitro culture systems that enable the growth and development of tissues or single cells outside of the parental organism. The possibility of re-directing cell development from its original pathway to embryogenesis brings several benefits to many research areas, but the most important is the possibility of its implementation in breeding programs. This review summarizes the achievements of Polish research groups in studies of the mechanisms of haploid/DH embryo development and demonstrates the practical applications of these systems in basic studies and plant breeding. It shows the results of studies on economically important crops including barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.), triticale (Ã--Triticosecale Wittm.), oat (Avena sativa L.), rye (Secale cereale L.), sugar beet (Beta vulgaris ssp. vulgaris L.), and some vegetable species, including carrot (Daucus carota L.), onion (Allium cepa L.), red beet (Beta vulgaris L.), and members of the Brassicaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review was designed to summarize the present state of research around the genetic and epigenetic modification of selected plant species and the potential for their application in industry. This review summarizes the activity of research groups from the University of Wrocław completed over the last 3 decades which tends to focus on potatoes and flax likely as a result of their centuries-old tradition of cultivation, processing, and use in Poland. The aims of these studies were various and included the creation of pathogen-resistant plants, increased antioxidant production, improved flax fiber quality, and improved oil properties. New plant breeds initially produced using genetic engineering technology provide an excellent basis for improving our understanding of the genes involved in potato and flax productivity and the quality of their products. These results have been published in many papers and have given rise to new methods for plant breeding and product prototypes which have been patented. However, none of the prototypes have been commercialized because of their GMO origins. In addition, later development of a novel, epigenetic method has led to the creation of more diverse products based on the newly obtained variety of flax called Silesia. These developments have facilitated the production of a range of new raw materials from these epigenetically modified plants. These include a modified oil for improved nutrition and regeneration of skin cells, seed-cake extracts that act as anti-infection agents, improved fiber production for use as bandages for chronic wounds, improved fibers for application as bio composite materials for the development of biodegradable packaging materials and scaffolds for tissue engineering, and micronized fiber for drug delivery. These modifications mean that flax has become a more useful and valuable source of a wide range of raw materials applicable in industry, allowing for the application of these materials in zero waste applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture is essential to ensuring food security and prosperity around the world. The importance of cultivating agricultural plant species cannot be overestimated. One of the key challenges faced by modern food producers is to increase efficiency while ensuring sustainability and improving resilience to unfavorable environmental conditions brought about by ongoing climate change. To meet these challenges, it is vital to continue breeding work and to select plant varieties best adapted to local farming conditions. Undoubtedly, future yield increases will only be achievable by way of genetic improvement. In turn, crop-variety recommendations should rely on the results of properly designed post-registration variety testing (PRVT, in polish PDO), followed up by specific variety recommendations for growers. In this article, we attempt to fill a gap in the international literature regarding post-registration variety testing. We present PRVT as a unique scheme that is key to selecting agricultural plant varieties recommended for cultivation, with due account taken of Poland's specific farming conditions. Every year, over 1000 field cultivar tests are carried out as part of PRVT. The results of these tests constitute reliable, objective source material for farmers and help them make choices regarding the most valuable varieties for cultivation that are also best adapted to local farming conditions. Among the financial benefits of selecting the right crop varieties for agriculture are lower cultivation costs, including reduced fertilizer and pesticide spending, and higher income generated by larger yields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among European countries, Poland has the largest gap in the grain yield of winter wheat, and thus the greatest potential to reduce this yield gap. This paper aims to recognize the main reasons for winter wheat yield variability and shed the light on possible reasons for this gap. We used long-term datasets (2008–2018) from individual commercial farms obtained by the Laboratory of Economics of Seed and Plant Breeding of Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute (IHAR)-National Research Institute (Poland) and the experimental fields with high, close to potential yield, in the Polish Post-Registration Variety Testing System in multi-environmental trials. We took into account environment, management and genetic variables. Environment was considered through soil class representing soil fertility. For the crop management, the rates of mineral fertilization, the use of pesticides and the type of pre-crop were considered. Genotype was represented by the independent variable year of cultivar registration or year of starting its cultivation in Poland. The analysis was performed using the CART (Classification and Regression Trees). The winter wheat yield variability was mostly dependent on the amount of nitrogen fertilization applied, soil quality, and type of pre-crop. Genetic variable was also important, which means that plant breeding has successfully increased genetic yield potential especially during the last several years. In general, changes to management practices are needed to lower the variability of winter wheat yield and possibly to close the yield gap in Poland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]